Wine vinegar kicks bean salad up a notch

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This article was published 30/07/2003 (8285 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BEAN salad is the summer cooking equivalent of comfort food.

It is simple to prepare, can easily be made in advance and is the perfect addition to a pot-luck barbecue. Joyce Scanhon‘s version follows, and is one of the winners in Recipe Swap’s Summer Weekend Recipe Contest. Another winning recipe, sent in by Helen Pitura, is for a summer zucchini casserole — a great recipe as gardens start to yield the abundant summer squash.

Each of the final winners in our Summer Weekend Recipe Contest receives a copy of Company’s Coming Weekend Cooking cookbook by Jean Paré. Thanks to all of the swappers who submitted recipes. The remaining winners (and their winning recipes) will run in Recipe Swap in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more great summer recipes!

Now onto recent requests:

Louise Malegus is looking for a delicious, savoury recipe for buckwheat buns which include onion and potatoes, as well as directions on how to prepare the buckwheat.

Also, she’d like a veal recipe for osso buco.

Mary Hitra requests a recipe for beef marinade made without soy sauce, or with very minimal amounts of soy sauce.

Loraine Hucuk would love a recipe for chicken marsala.

Diane Mayes of Pierson is seeking a recipe for alfredo sauce.

Lastly, Bonnie Stefaniuk requests a recipe for baked perogies.

Please send any requests or responses to Recipe Swap, c/o Ilana Simon, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2X 3B6, send a fax to 697-7412 or e-mail to ilana.simon@freepress.mb.ca. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number in case any ingredients or directions must be checked.

Bean salad

14-oz. (398 mL) can green beans, drained

14-oz. (398 mL) can yellow beans, drained

19-oz. (540 mL) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

19-oz. (540 mL) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, sliced

Dressing:

1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar

1/2 cup (125 mL) red wine vinegar

1/2 cup (125 mL) salad oil

1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) tarragon

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) basil

1 tablespoon (15 mL) dried parsley

Combine all salad ingredients.

Mix together dressing. Pour dressing over bean mixture. Mix well.

Refrigerate for 24 hours. Drain before serving.

Will keep several days in refrigerator.

Taste-tester notes: This staple summer salad gets a new twist thanks to the flavourful red wine vinegar. If desired, and you prefer a less sweet dressing, add additional 1/4 cup (50 mL) red wine vinegar. Also, I find the canned vegetables salty, so reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL), if desired. Also, if using fresh parsley, add about 1/2 cup (125 mL) of fresh chopped parsley. As for the salad, to make it even more colourful and tasty, use half green pepper and half red pepper. Also, add 1 can (10-oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained, to salad if desired. Instead of draining before serving, you can serve the salad with a slotted spoon.

Zucchini casserole

6 cups (1.5 L) thinly sliced zucchini

1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter

1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) pepper

1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

8-oz. (227 mL) can of tomato sauce or 1 cup (250 mL) diced fresh tomatoes

1 cup (250 mL) shredded Cheddar cheese

Combine zucchini, butter, pepper, salt, tomato sauce and cheese. Pour into 1 1/2 quart (1.5 L) casserole.

Bake in 375º F (190º C) oven for 30 minutes.

Taste-tester notes: You’ll need 2 to 3 zucchini to yield 6 cups. If desired, omit butter and add 2 cloves garlic, minced. Also, if desired, use 14-oz. (398 mL) can of diced tomatoes in place of tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes. The recipe fits better in a 2 or 2.5 L casserole.